On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including an NCAA investigation into a pair of NIL deals at BYU and Miami, and the NHL’s new ownership rules.
First, however, the two talk about Tom Brady’s enduring legacy in the Boston area. The former Patriots quarterback has two TB12 locations in the area—one in Boston and the other adjacent to the Patriots stadium in Foxborough—a nod to the fact that many in the area still support him and his wellness business. The 44-year-old won a Super Bowl last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is currently the 2021 MVP favorite, age-defying success that is only helping the TB12 business.
Next the hosts discuss news broken last week by Sportico that the NCAA is probing a pair of NIL deals that it believes might be a violation of its interim rules regarding new marketing rights for college athletes. The two deals, both designed to offer money to every player on the BYU and Miami football teams, are a logical extension of the new NIL rights, in which boosters are hoping to make it more attractive for high school talent to choose their schools. The NCAA has so far been hands off on NIL rights (which it fought for decades), and many within the industry think the result of this probe could be a critical moment for the young industry.
Lastly, the hosts discuss new NHL ownership rules that will allow institutional investors to buy minority stakes in NHL franchises. The new rules are similar to those recently adopted in the NBA, MLB and MLS, which will allow owners easier access to capital by widening the pool of entities that can invest in teams. Shortly after the change was ratified, Sportico reported that Arctos Sports Partners was nearing agreements to buy small stakes in the Minnesota Wild and defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
